**************************************************************************** * IERS Message No. 0 December, 29 2000 **************************************************************************** * Dear IERS contributors and users As most of you have probably already heard, the International Earth Rotation Service continues its operation from January 1, 2001 onwards with a new structure. This new structure is the result of an extended discussion process for the renewal of the service that had started already in 1996 with a workshop in Paris, resulted in a Call for Participation for the new IERS in 1999 and culminated eventually in the final voting for the composition of the new Directing Board at the 32nd meeting of the old Directing Board in San Francisco in December 2000. After a successful period of more than 10 years of the old IERS, as departing chairman of the old Directing Board I would like to wholeheartedly thank all members of the old Directing Board and the old Central Bureau, but also all contributing individuals and organisations for their untiring efforts carrying out daily routines and also for their support of the planning and decision-taking for renewing the service. I wish the new chairman Jan Vondrak, the new Directing Board and the new Central Bureau the very best success with steering the new IERS and all IERS contributors and users a prosperous and happy year 2001! Sincerely, Christoph Reigber (Chairman of the IERS Directing Board until Dec. 31, 2000) P.S. You will soon receive email information on the new structure of the service from the new Central Bureau. A pre-glance you can take at the homepage of the new IERS at http://www.iers.org/